Distorting remarks made by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), The Fox Nation featured a headline reading: “Durbin on White Male GOP Nominees: Racism Is 'In Their DNA',” which echoed conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh's false characterization of Durbin's remarks. During the July 15 broadcast of his radio show, Limbaugh stated: “Republicans are genetically racist, genetically inferior -- Dick Durbin said that yesterday.” In fact, as the quote Limbaugh aired, and which Fox Nation provided, makes clear, Durbin did not say that “racism” is in the DNA of Republicans or their white male nominees.

Rather, referring to the “contrast” between the confirmation hearings of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito on the one hand and the hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayor on the other, Durbin said: “When we asked questions of the white male nominees of a Republican president, we were basically trying to find out whether -- to make sure that they would go far enough in understanding the plight of minorities, because clearly that was not in their DNA. The questions being asked of you from the other side primarily are along the lines of, will you go too far in siding with minorities?”

From the July 15 Senate Judiciary Committee Sotomayor confirmation hearing:

DURBIN: This has been an interesting exercise today for many of us who've been on the Judiciary Committee for a while, because the people new to it may not know, but there's been a little bit of a role reversal here. The Democratic side is now largely speaking in favor of our president's nominee. The other side is asking questions more critical.

And in the previous two Supreme Court nominees, the tables were turned. There were more critical questions coming from the Democratic side.

And there's also another contrast, obvious contrast. The two previous nominees that were considered while I was on the committee, Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, were -- are white males. And, of course, you come to this as a minority woman candidate.

When we asked questions of the white male nominees of a Republican president, we were basically trying to find out whether -- to make sure that they would go far enough in understanding the plight of minorities, because clearly that was not in their DNA. The questions being asked of you from the other side primarily are along the lines of, will you go too far in siding with minorities?

It's an interesting contrast as I watch this play out.

From The Fox Nation:

From the July 15 edition of Premiere Radio Networks' The Rush Limbaugh Show:

LIMBAUGH: You want to hear some racism? Dick Durbin, senator from Illinois, talking to the media: “When we asked questions of the white male nominees of a Republican president, we were basically trying to make sure that they would go far enough in understanding the plight of minorities, because, clearly, it's not in their DNA.” So Republicans are genetically racist, genetically inferior -- Dick Durbin said that yesterday. There is a bunch of racism in this country, and sadly, most of it's on the left side of the aisle.